Solar innovation is transforming economies at scale. This is self-evident as oil, coal, and gas are finite resources. Without energy, commerce ceases to exist. Without the large-scale adoption of solar and other renewable energy sources, once-powerful economies will reach a point of stagnation.

Solar Software is accelerating solar installation and expanding adoption. Derek Mitchell, founder and creator of SolarDesignTool, set out to revolutionize solar integration. Derek and his partner, Michael Palmguist, received a SunShot Initiative grant for their company, Solar Nexus, with the aim of tackling the soft costs associated with solar installation. They used the grant to develop the industry’s first integrated software system aimed at reducing administrative time to sell and manage projects.

While utility-scale solar and residential rooftop solar have experienced explosive growth in the past five years, the market for solar on commercial buildings has been much slower to take off. The US Department of Energy is working with innovative entrepreneurs to spur growth in this sector. As more solar installers begin targeting the commercial sector, a more pragmatic problem-solving approach is needed to gain the trust of commercial customers.

To lead innovation in clean energy, competition amongst renewables companies is not the solution. Lasting success in solar overhauls the energy infrastructure, decelerates the rate of fossil fuel depletion, and creates technology that sets the standard for large-scale utility initiatives. The future of energy infrastructure is through collaboration.